The Washington critic., 1887-07-02
WASHINGTON, JULY ., 1887.
NO "CRIrIC" ON THE FOURTH.

NO "CRITIC" ON THE FOURTH.
The Fourth OF July being the greatest Of
all national holidays, In the observance of
which 1t is the duty OF all good citizens to
patrio'ically unite, no paper will be Issued
from this office on Monday next.
SIX YEARS ago to day-aud much the
same sort of Saturday as this, bright.
lreezy and warm-President James A.
Garfield was shot while entering the
station of the Baltimore and Potomac
Railway in compnny with Mr.. Blaine,
his Secretary of State.
1t was day # intense excitement,
of profound grief, Of no little appre.
htnsicn.
To the President 1t wl' the begin.
ming of long weeks of cruel suffering
fatal blow to all his high hopes and
ambitions.
Momentous have been the changes
since. The party that was then In
power was wrecked by its own diyls-
ions. 1t was not reserved for General
Garfield to allay with the balm of con.
ciliation the dissensons that accom-.
panied him into office anl to build the
Republican organization anew, as he no
doubt ardently desired. on better aud
surer foundations. 1t would have been
greater than mortal task.
1t were well, perhaps, from an I'M
impassioned and philosophical stand
point, that he was spared an under.
taking involved in so many sharp and
ominous uncertainties-better that the
Republican party should learn wisdom
In the defeat, of which the assassin's
pistol gave preliminary signal.
General Garfield was stronger of pur-
pose than of power. A patriot in all
respects, statesman Of fair abilities, a
worthy man and good citizen, 1t may
well be doubted whether he possessed
the forceful independence and solidity
Of judgment that were requisite to meet
the political emergencies OF the period.
That he occupies high place in the
memory and admiration of the people
Is attested by his monuments.
In the meantime Mr.. Blaine remains
an active political factor, whom defeats
do not kill, and Mr.. Conkling, disap.
pointed and batiied, has bctaken him.
self to pursuits more profitable than
politics and more certain of satisfactory
results than the hurry, burly of party
strife.
THE statistics of building improve.
ments, compiled with great care by The
CRITIC from official sources aud pub.
lished yesterday, attract general at,en-
lion and excite pardonabe pride on
the part of all public spirited citizens.
The tables make n splendid showing
for the National Capital From 739
buildings, at a valuation Of 81, i7G,3 ,30j,
erected In 1879, to ,452 buildings, at n
valuation of S5,0il $40, put up In 1887,
or TO the close of the current fiscal
year, indicates rapid and wholesome
progress, indeed.
But this is not all. AS suggested
yesterday, the figures given are but es.
timaies furnished when the appllcl-
tions were filed. The cost of the blld-
ings completed was, of course, much
greater-probaby twenty i've per cent.
A large amount is also to be added to
the aggregate for repairs, of which no
account Is here taken. So that the
grand total will doubtless approach
$0,00O.00O. This represents no specu
lative but substantial growth. The
houses are occupied. They are the
habitations, not only of the wealthy.
but of the well to.do In professional
and business life, people of moderate
means and small savings and Of many
Of the working classes, who have In.
vested their hard earnings in modest
but comfortable homes. The houses
that have been built for rent are as a
rule let on moderate terms, and per.
sons who are unable to buy residences
of their own have little reason to com.
plain of eXorbitant landlords. In'short
the encouraging figures which our
building records present are suggestive
of an increasing prosperity-of perml.
nent and continuing thrift-and prom.
ise well for the future Of the city.
CITIZENS Of Washington who want
10 get out of town to morrow, o. to
celebrate the Fourth 10 the suburbs,
should consult our list Of outside at
fractions, elsewhere published. With
such an array Of delightful aud accesSi.
bic resorts nobody can complain nf any
deaith Of nice places to visit There 1;
no city In the United States more
highly favored in this respect, cDn5ll
cring the ease and che lpncss Of trans
porta,ion, and the mullifprm charms al
sea, shore and mountain that lie S,
close In reach
THE Grant Monument fund Of Sl2j,
600 which the New York Shir has un
deriaken to raise amounts nov to g.,
20o1s. The fund is Of slow growth
but the Star bas every confidence thn
it will ultimately get there, 1t make
the following appeal to Wall Stree
this morning:
Men of Wall s'rsNt, pause for a moment Il
your watch upon the market and fnd time :,
aid the STIR to raise $4,000 for the aran
Monument fund. Where would your stool
market be to-day lad this great soldier fallet
to do his dutyy
The disclosures In the case of tn,
late Levi Bacon, many years financia
clerk of the Patent Onice inyolvln.
quite o heavy loss to his bondsmen
chow the iirgent npcessitv Of suhipptinf